Blackwood Threatens Knox DA with Contempt

Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood, who is sorting out the fate of cases previously prosecuted in former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner's court, threatened Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols with contempt of court today and told Special Counsel John Gill he needed to produce proof of ex parte communications by the court or report himself to the Board of Professional Responsibility. Gill had accused the court of such activity in an email made public by the Knoxville News Sentinel. The fiery exchange came as Blackwood refused to step down from one of the cases in play and would not allow the government to argue its motion that he recuse himself. Read about today's developments from the paper.